Yoga

When you begin practicing yoga you go easy on yourself and be kind to your body. Listen to your body because it knows it own limitations. Your body knows when to stop.

Yoga is not competitive and you do not need to worry about looking exactly like a photograph in a book. When you push too hard yoga is not enjoyable and you probably will not stick with it. There are many poses that will help you be more relaxed and more flexible; it is just important that you practice often and you will get better.

Sukhasana is the sitting pose. It is a good place to start and focus your awareness on your breathing. This pose also helps open your hips and strengthens your lower back. You should sit with your knees crossed and hands on your knees. Keep your spine straight with your sit bones pushing gently into the floor while you focus on your breathing. Allow your knees to gently lower and if your knees rise above your hips use a cushion or block. Take five to ten slow deep breaths and then raise your arms above your head on the next inhale. Exhale and bring your arms down; repeat five times.

Tadasana or mountain pose is deceptively simple. It is all about standing correctly and breathing the right way. Done correctly it can improve self awareness and posture. This pose teaches you to stand with proper posture and hip placement. You learn to stand strong.

The forward bend or extension, also called the uttanasana II, stretches the legs and spine while relaxing the upper body. To do this pose, start in mountain pose and lift your hands above your head and then bend at your hips and bring your hands down to your toes. If you are feeling stiff you can bend your knees. To come out of this pose curl your spine upwards one vertebrae at a time leaving your head to come up last.

There are many other poses that can be learned either from the internet, by taking classes or following a yoga DVD. Poses like the triangle, or trikonasana, that stretch your spine, open your torso and improve your balance. To relax your body and mind you can finish your practice with the corpse pose.

Bridge Pose
Lotus Position
Sun Salutation - Surya Namaskar
Yoga mudras - symbolic gestures of the hands

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